More lightning expected today along Treasure Coast

Expect some more lightning strikes today, like those that started seven wildfires on Monday, which consumed 518 acres in rural areas at Martin and St. Lucie counties' borders with Okeechobee County, say state officials.

The forecast calls for coastal sea breezes to continue blowing inland this week, possibly creating isolated afternoon thunderstorms away from the coast, according to the National Weather Service, Melbourne.

Lightning strikes can leave smoldering embers that linger for days. Or blazes can quickly erupt.

At 11:30 a.m. Tuesday wind swirls were still whipping up flames and embers at a 400-acre fire, west of Indiantown, that is within fire lines and is 95 percent contained, said Division for Forestry spokeswoman Melissa Yunas.

Four state bulldozers, and state and county firefighters are on the scene at the High Horse Ranch, a cattle ranch where an unnerved cow gave birth Monday night.

"The cow and calf are fine," she said.

And so far, the seven fires have only destroyed one abandoned cabin.

Not included in the fire count was an afternoon lightning strike that briefly ignited some grass along State Road 70, where road construction crews were working on Monday in west St. Lucie County, she said.

A Florida Division of Forestry pilot is going aloft check to check on Monday's fires: three in St. Lucie County, two in Martin county, one at the St. Lucie-Okeechobee county line and one in Okeechobee County.

The state's Fire Danger Index currently ranks the Treasure Coast at two on a scale of one to five with five being the most fire-prone. The Division of Forestry's drought index has Indian River and St. Lucie Counties are at the mid range — 500 to 549 — on a scale of 0 to 800. Martin County is slightly higher, at 550-599, meaning it is drier.

"It is getting drier every day," said Division of Forestry pilot Sanne Esque.

And the isolated thunderstorms are producing scattered showers but not enough to dampen fire chances, she said. National Weather Service forecasters aren't forecasting noticeable rain because moisture in the atmosphere is too low.

"We'll keep watching" said Esque, who will be flying about 1,500 above the ground. "I'll look for any smoke I can see" and radio trouble spots back to the Division of Forestry.